Against a deflationary environment of austerity-driven wage and pension cuts combined with rising unemployment; food, commodity, and fuel prices continue to surge in Greece. The government has taken an unusual step - allowing the sale of expired food at lower prices. As Voz Populi reports, this act means the government has 'virtually admitted their inability to control prices" as the worst aspects of stagflation crush the Hellenic Republic. The regulation (allowing from one-week to one-month extensions of foods for sale post their eat-before-this-day-or-you'll-get-Salmonella date) has existed for many years, according to a ministerial decree and this action merely states that these foods must be sold at a lower price. Meat and dairy is excluded but this move is described as "an immoral act" as few believe prices will actually be reduced - since that is at the discretion of the merchant. As the National Food Agency notes: "This is also a moral dilemma, to divide consumers into two groups: those who can afford basic food and those who, because of poverty, are forced to resort to dubious quality food." We presume this will also reduce the drag on pension and healthcare costs as death rates will rise?

Greece will allow the sale of expired food at a price lower than the original, in a move that the government has not been able to justify but consumer groups have interpreted as evidence of their inability to stop the escalating cost of commodities. A ministerial decree just reviving an old regulation that authorizes supermarkets and grocery stores to sell food once the expiration date, Efe reported. "This regulation has existed for many years. And it is something that is allowed in the rest Europe. All I did was point out that these products must be sold at low prices. do not understand what is causing so much noise, "said Yorgos Moraitakis Efe, advisor to the Ministry of Development, Competition and Merchant Marine.

The regulations exclude meat and dairy from the list of perishables that can be sold and sets a ceiling dates you can continue marketing. Thus, foods in which the expiration date is indicated by the day and the month, may continue on the shelf for another week. In the event that the "best before" only month and year point, the sale may be extended for one month, and in the event that the date indicated year alone, the sale date may be extended by one quarter.

Though Moraitakis Efe declined to specify the reasons for this decision and merely noted that the legislation already existed, consumer groups and even government agencies have criticized the measure. "Virtually admit their inability to control prices," Efe reported Tsiafutis Victor Consumers Association 'Quality of Life', one of the oldest in Greece.

Food Inflation

In the Greece of the crisis, the wage and pension cuts and rising unemployment, food prices and commodities has not stopped rising. Between August 2011 and August 2012, the price of sugar shot up 15%, the eggs, 6.8% for butter by 3.2% and that of coffee, 5.9%, according to data from the Statistics Authority. "It is an immoral act," criticized Tsiafutis. "Instead of taking initiatives to control prices, allow the sale of food past the expiration date."

Moreover, from the National Food Agency gets even concerned that the measure serves to something. "It is doubtful that these foods are to be sold at low prices, because the price control mechanisms have failed," said Yannis Mijas, president of this organization linked to the government. Indeed, the measure of how much states must be the initial price reduction, which is at the discretion of the merchant.

To Mijas, selling expired food is also a moral dilemma, to divide consumers into two groups: those who can afford basic food and those who, because of poverty, "are forced to resort to dubious quality food."

There was a time when the Governments around the world actually cared about their people and had limits in place to protect its citizens, those days are gone. Now we live in a world of what is good for the Government is good for you, period. This food date extension is a perfect example, it only helps their numbers and puts its citizens at risk. Other examples include radiation exposure amounts have been increased as high as 80% to offset the spike in areas like Japan, milk is no longer tested in the USA for radiation, fish are no longer tested for radiation and toxins especially those coming out of the GOM, Genetically modified foods have been allowed to replace those once healthy foods to bring larger profits to their Corporate Crony Monsatin and also allow for more control over the food supply. These days I wouldn't believe anything you are being sold from either the MSM or the kleptocrats that control them. Here in the USA they pass an 800 billion dollar defense bill to protect us? Protect us from who? How about taking the 800 billion dollars and feeding the poor people and actually protecting it citezens insted of handing the money off to your cronies that control and profit from the military industrial complex? The reports that have been sold this month is truely a sign of things to come. If the leaders are so willing to blatantly lie as they have to cover up the truth of the matter then what should we expect for the future and what is really coming? The information being fed to us is so hideous these days I have to imagine they know something big that we don't...

I'm afraid you are mistaken. NO government gives a shit about it's people. All consumer protection laws are feel-good legislation that a politician can point to on election day. Most other safety laws are revenue generators. Every thing else is to protect their power.

I buy foods all the time from the store on their expiration date for 1/2 price. I know they are good for at least a week. If I buy a lot I will freeze them and then use them the day I will use them. Has not killed me or made me sick yet.

One store I used to go to would freeze the ground beef on the expiration date and sell it 1/2 off. I bought that too.

I also look for the marked down frozen foods for sale on the expiration date as I know they will also last for at least another month or two without spoiling.

Instead of throwing the food away, why not sell it at a discount to the starving people. We all know that the soup kitchens use all of the discarded produce and expired foods from the stores to feed millions of homeless people.

As we have been saying to the credulous: when the laws no longer suit the state, the state simply changes the laws.

This is partly 1) an admission that the dates are flexible and the law merely imposed arbitrary restrictions on food vendors and 2) that shit is getting real in Greece. Which leads me to 3) For all those people who are still experiencing dropping-of-the-jaw when they hear about the latest bullshit Greek/European people are tolerating and can't believe they haven't had a coup of some sort --- don't hold your breath.

Other than being anal you seem to suffer from xenophobia as well. Look up "night soils." Let's quit being ignorant. Pathogens CAN be dealt with (though this then falls under the other non-counted inflationary item- fuel - discounted fuel for killing the pathogens in our discounted food?).

"It is doubtful that these foods are to be sold at low prices, because the price control mechanisms have failed."

Idiots, its the laws and regulations that need to expire. Notice the flailing effortts to microregulate prices and consumption, while the production side is assumed to magically hum along no matter what junk you pour into the economic tank.

Meanwhiile in the UK this is going to give Nigel Farage nightmares, and if it repeats in Catalonia and Belgium, where existing euro nation-states split up populist pressure builds up, it will only make the Euro center more powerful; not exactly his cup of tea!

More work to increase role of EU if the myopic knee jerk of the populist Nigel Farages of this world succeed; as the nation states start imploding under the strains of financial global crisis into rich and poor sub-sets; the rich that want to opt out from old nation state; but to go where?

Why into the arms of th Euro UNion! Big brother has a wonderful federating future!

Timely article. I just got back from the local LDS Food Storage place getting a 1.5 year supply of bulk food, mostly canned dry goods, at cost, for about $600. Was 400+ lbs worth of bulk canned -- lasts for 30 years! Highly recommend for those concerned about food security or want to cut their budgets.

You meet up at a local LDS storage facility and do your own canning. They have everything, down to nutritional labels, no experience required. They help you and you help each other, assembly line style, until everbody's orders are filled. 2 hours max, about a dozen people per group. Great people, it was actually a lot of fun and hugs all around at the end.

People, that moldy loaf, which is probably loaded with Aspergillus and Penicillium is now FORTIFIED! Why it's got protein now. They should increase the price. Just don't breathe while you eat it so the spores won't invade your lungs and possibly kill you especially if you are immunocompromised. In fact just water it down a bit and you should be okay. I should design a microbiologists guide for surviving in the new NWO.